Clamshell or flip-style mobile communication devices generally have a base and a hinged or sliding lid that can be closed over the base. Clamshell devices generally provide a user with a primary display inside the lid or on the base that is visible when the device is open. Further, some clamshell devices have a secondary display on the outside of the lid that is visible when the device is closed. Typically, clamshell mobile communication devices perform a function in response to the opening or closing of the hinged lid. For example, most clamshell cellular telephone devices hang-up any telephone call that may be in progress when the device is closed. However, some users like to play with their clamshell telephones by repeatedly opening and closing the device, even when in the process of editing an email or document or performing some other data entry operation. This can have an undesirable effect, such as inadvertent loss of information that the user did not intend. Further, the telephone must process the redundant data entry operation that inevitably follows the inadvertent loss of information, which needlessly uses up computing resources on the device, such as processing and battery power. It would be desirable to have a mobile communication device that does not waste power and processing resources, as well as the user's time, in this way.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.